Late Draft Pick

You are not just a great photographer, ThreeOnesix. And I'm going to go with Jnrmac on this one after having watched some of our very good quarters this year on Fox recently and knowing that our players are a year older and understanding the game plans and what is required of them, I don't think we are that far off. Kicking 6 in a row against Port or those consecutive goals against Essendon shows me there is something there - just gestating. Even the most intelligent posters get sucked in to seeing things from how they were in the previous year. In fact in the Daniher years of making the 8 on alternate years our price for the 8 was a generous $4.00 or thereabouts after not making it the previous year. (Not worth placing a bet after those years we did make the 8.) Factoring in the fact that I don't understand how footy has changed so much in that time, though I know it has, I still think that $13 for the Dees to make the 8 is pretty good at the moment. I've had a nibble Two of our main Onballers this year will have more than 20 games under their belts at the beginning of the season which they didn't have last year. With our now well heralded additions I think this could kick in to start making a real significant change creating perhaps the introduction of those arrogant/confident qualities that teams have when they just all become fascinated with how good they could become; you can just feel the difference in that vibe. Oh, and knowing how early draft picks have had genuine input over the last few years I can see either or both Petracca or Brayshaw who only missed out on being drafted by a week or two the previous draft, and with their developed bodies, won't influence games this year. Just sharing where my dreams are coming from.

So gratefull for these pics six6six. Have actually been looking forward to another wonderful presentation from you. I have to laugh when I see Petracca's physique. I've never seen anything like it and they say he is hard to classify - as in reminds you of x player - so I am fascinated to see how he turns out. He's going to be hard to move off the ball and if he does also have x factor and is a "clearance star" and can "kick clutch goals" as they say, then I am hoping he lines up round one like so many early draft picks before him.

And your contribution too Deemotivated. It really is amazing to find this sort of contribution (and information re diabetes for instance). Ok , i'll admit it, I'm nearing 70yrs. So I don't read it every day but the expert opinion here is a welcome blessing for an average supporter. I'll say no more.

What a website this Demonland is. I know it can detereorate when people like me start putting in their 2 bobs worth, but to come on today and see the information offered by Redleg and Warren Dean (I loved that guy) I can't help myself. I really appreciate it. I would never expect such incisive and clear information from my newspapers. I'll keep checking every now and then till the 27th Nov.

I was referrng to Earl Hood's comment there

This time of year the cream comes to the top in many of the threads.. Very little these days of those posts suggesting unrealistic trades. Enjoying the reading guys.

Damn. I've forgotten. So what happened to Yarrin? Love that Roos is interested in Garlett.

And the Casey Scorpions fixture put out at the beginning of the year also says it is today, 7th June, Saturday.

We don't know how lucky we were!! ( Alot of things went against Port today but luck didn't stlil quite go our way in the end.) But lets not forget for those of us watching on Fox - we could have had Dwayne Russell commentating. Checking out the Brisbane- Carlton game I thought how it would have been with Dwayne Russell commentating, always stating the obvious and thinking that that is very exciting. I can imagine his patronizing/sarcastic comments when Melb got 10 points up. But does he ever tell the listeners something they don't know or just describe the game outside of telling us the scores and what it means to both clubs and yes, where both clubs are on the ladder 20 times a game. He doesn't realize that his commentary is all about him. I thought as a team low on the ladder that the commentators were great today - Dermie and Shaw were always on about how fantastic Melboure were, brilliant in some cases. We are really going somewhere with this team and there will be a massive crowd next week to see us v the Pies.

Well done! Took me a second to notice the names the other way around.

It was hard for anyone to get the footy today. Players would receive a handpass and prepare to kick and the ball would slip out of their hands. Walking out to the huddles, it was like a cattle yard out their and smelt like it too. Either very slippery and muddy or just water skiing. Carlton must have been in the middle of the rain last night. Blease was a ilttle unlucky when Northern got a goal in the second quarter. I didn't see the third quarter turnover. I just felt he got involved in the play today in a way that really surprised me considering the conditions. Both sides dropping marks today with such a slippery ball and the congestion around where the ball was dropping because of this, or if it did get out it was a race in the mud that resulted the ball going to the boundary line. It was amazing that Smith took so many marks in the second quarter - they were really rare. And nothing wrong with the Toump's game today. I was watching him, Hunt, Michie and Riley. Toumpas came back on after an injury at the start of the second - winded or knackered I think. He contributed all day and in the last took a couple of handy marks and nearly held a couple more - they were hard to come by with the slippery conditons and packs everywhere. The most common thing happening all day was players receiving a handball but not being able to dispose of it in time because of the greasy conditions. Riley has thighs on him like a tree trunk and didn't look out of place at this suburban ground. Didn't have the impact that Michie did or McKenzie and probably is lacking some fitness. Michie looked very comfortable at this level as did Evans who was very reliable at this level and in these conditions. Dom Barry also surprised me under these condtions. He got kicks sending us forward a few times (remember, this was rare for the whole game on this ground, which was far from anything we are used to these days; it was really really substandard. They couldn't have any drainage there). In the second quarter in particular I was really impressed with Dom. I could not criticise any player's game today - they all put in and it was really quite impressive with the injuries and with Carlton coming back so strongly in the third and fourth quarters where they were able to get a lot of clean possessions (and in the third quarter some umpire assistance). Finally, Jayden Hunt. Even before his winning goal I thought he had looked like he belonged in the second half. In the first half he was on and off the bench and when he was on he would be looking after some empty wing of half forward flank where the ball was not coming.He contributed to our only goal in the third quarter (kicked by Tapscott) and got that great goal to finish the match (our only goal in the last quarter) with 3 or 4 minutes to go. It was not a match to show any of his wares but the final goal showed a lot of composure. And It was not a match to start worrying about any player's future. It was a mud wrestle and then hoping the luck went your way. All the players put in today. I can't name all the players. I love Georgiou and Evans who are so reliable - but this was a swimming pool today. I'm not at the G tonight. I have to cook for guests. This report is just passing on a normal spectator's observations - like I like to read the training reports in Dec Jan and Feb.

Barrett actually said that he "quieried" it - "the Tyson -Salem combination for the loss of the Kelly pick." He didn't say he had criticized it or make any apology. In fact in saying that it is a debate that will go on for 10 or even 15 years, he is saying he is not at this stage backing down. Actually, skill set aside, the way Dom Tyson moves and his authority around the ground reminds me of Luke Hodge.

I wouldn't say Jack was lackadaisical. Laconic to me has always meant 'not flustered and with the minimum effort required' (which would fit the dictionary definition of loaconic)and I think that that is the meaning that people intend when they describe a player even though, as has been pointed out many times, it means with a minimum of words. The thing is that the word laconic refers also to a person's 'style' and that is why it has crept in to football descriptions of players. Lackadaisical refers to behaviours. Some players seem to need a lot of effort to do certain things whereas Jack Watts does things without that 'in your face' effort.

Just so happy to be getting Vince. But just so disgusted about the Hawks CEO's statement about it all not being fair. As Pantaloons says, just picking up players from cellar dweller teams or teams that just can't quite get there - look at North and Port and Crows recently - as though they were entitled to them and no one else was. Narcissism.

the article on afl.com says the saints are hoping to get a compensation after their second round pick. So where did you get that from?

Thanks for the updates. The ABC has a SANFL program at 2.00am on Wednesday morning. I am hoping this will be a replay of this Grand Final. Does anyone know?

3 positives for me 1/ North Melbourne also took an 11 goal to 1 goal hammering in the third quarter. So it can happen to a team that made the 8 last year and has an on ball division more developed than ours. 2/ We played two consecutive quarters where we kicked 4 successive goals. That would give the players a taste of what they are capable of and how enjoyable football can be. 3/ Two of our defeats were to the two teams on top of the ladder who are playing some good football and West Coast.

Nice Post thanks Leehow. Only just read it. Nice to get some optimistic post season news.

Definitely not keen on Caddy. I've watched him for four games now and can't see what the fuss is about. Last night during the 2nd quarter I noticed he had had 2 possessions, so he wasn't a great contributor to GC's great start. Each week there are so many other players in the team who are involved throughout the game but never Caddy. Apart from fumbling last night and not getting his own ball, last week his 8 possessions up to 3/4 time were those of a bit-player. If we were getting him for pick 13 I would have liked to have seen him creating more play or getting his own ball.

With still 10 games to go and a Demons side appearing to play with more cohesion and understanding of the game plan I can see us catching up to both Port and the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs do not play GWS or GC again nor Melb or Port so they are playing only those teams ahead of them on the ladder at the moment. And they only have one genuine "Home" game from now till the end of the season - againist Sydney at Etihad - all other home games against teams which play regularly at Etihad. As for Port, it doesn't play Gold Coast again and plays these teams that Melb does not play again - Geelong, Essendon, Hawthorn, West Coast. And isn't Port missing its whole leadership group at the moment? If we beat them in Darwin in three weeks time the No 3 Pick is no certainty.

Yeah right. Like we all get a choice in this. If you have a taste of alcohol or a drug and you think it is the greatest thing that ever happened to you - like Ben Cousins did - then there isn't much you're going to be able to do about it at the time. No, I mean like really feeling ultra alive and so real and like "Why wouldn't anyone ever want this all the time?" and try to have it when you can? Many people don't have enough 'substratum ' (I made that up but you work it out) to find anything within themselves to counteract that drive for this incredible pleasure that life is now offering them through this drug.Why do think family are always so flumoxed? Sometimes, though, only sometimes, after hitting rock bottom, probably many times, something comes along and sinks in with a few people like this that they have another chance - and they take it - but that is fairly rare. Benny will have to run out his life as the rest of us probably always knew he had to. And as someone alluded to above - all our ( conditioned) judgements don't amount to a hill of beans - as the guy said. This is not Sunday School where we weep about his family.

I'm on here getting the updates, but also watching a bit of the first match for the season GWS v Swans. I'm surprised to start leaning towards GWS with players like Mohr, our MacDonald (McDonqald?)and even Davis - I mean he was very honest about how he went about leaving Adelaide. Anyway back to Casey Scorpions.

Nev I think can do more than that. When he gets the ball he is very good at picking the best option and creating something. Alos, people say he is slow; but I can't remember him ever being caught with the ball, and his first three steps off the mark are very quick and also evasive. I like him.

Thanks for the input Stuie. juzzk1d. - the guy who said he shouldn't be paid for it (going home) - I think he was joking - as in - just sending up some Demonland contributers who overreact to things, demanding all sorts of instant answers, resolutions, sackings etc

Oh and btw they raved about how many top onballers that Bartram had kept quiet in the previous games. Go Barts!